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Energetics Ed is a 501c3 non-profit bringing highly engaging energy education to young people. Solar Rollers is our flagship program - high school teams building and racing sophisticated solar-powered remote-control cars.

Shams Dubai Solar Rollers

Shams dubai solar rollers

Dubai’s leaders strongly support innovation and creativity in the push to achieve sustainability – and high school students are now joining the effort by competing in the Shams Dubai Solar Rollers program. Participating high school teams will design, build and race custom solar-powered radio-controlled cars. Each racecar is a complete, sophisticated photovoltaic (PV) clean energy system. The team that makes the most of the solar energy available on raceday will be the winner!

Shams Dubai and Solar Rollers share a passion for bringing clean energy education and awareness to the public eye, as well as inspiring the next generation workforce to gain technical skills and improve energy systems through innovation. The government of Dubai, through Innovation and the Future Division of the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), has brought in Solar Rollers to engage high school students in hands-on energy studies. The 16 teams participating in the program will use cutting-edge materials kits and an online course to design and build high-performance solar RC cars for several months before coming together to race.

About Shams Dubai

The Shams Dubai initiative encourages household and building owners to install PV panels to generate electricity, and connect them to DEWA’s grid. The electricity is used on site and the surplus is exported to DEWA’s network.

Shams Dubai is DEWA’s first smart initiative to connect solar energy to buildings. This leading initiative supports the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai the smartest city in the world. It also supports diversifying the energy mix by promoting the use of clean and renewable energy sources to build a sustainable future for the Emirate.

about solar rollers

Solar Rollers is an innovative project-based, hands-on clean energy education program for high schools. The program is based in Colorado and Solar Rollers racing is growing rapidly in the United States.

Trophy race event

A Solar Rollers Trophy Race consists of seven different competitions run throughout the day. Trophies are awarded to overall winners as well as the top three teams in each event:

20 Questions: a team academic panel quiz judged by community PV, engineering and energy experts.

Overall Top Speed: radar measured top speed – with battery.

PV-Direct Top Speed: top speed using direct sunlight only.

PV-Direct Circuit Race: full-track road race using sunlight only,

Main Circuit Race: starting with discharged batteries, teams have 30 minutes to precharge in the sun before running a 60-minute road endurance race.

Fastest Lap: the fastest single lap of the day - any driver allowed.

Overall: teams accumulate points for placing in any of the above events. The Main Circuit Race is weighted heavily.

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has honoured the winners of the Shams Dubai Solar Rollers competition, which was organised by DEWA, in cooperation with Solar Rollers, for the first time outside the United States. This is part of DEWA’s efforts to encourage creativity and innovation among students, especially in clean and renewable energy.

A total of 82 students from 17 schools in Dubai participated in the competition. DEWA presented valuable prizes to the participating students from the three winning schools: Cambridge International School, DEWA Academy, and Al Ittihad Private School.

“DEWA has organised Shams Dubai Solar Rollers competition in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to include the youth in the sustainable development process. The competition is part of DEWA’s efforts to support and motivate young people to be the next generation of experts and leaders in research and development in the renewable and clean energy sector, based on an innovative approach, to anticipate the future, keeping up with the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and making use of disruptive technologies,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.

“Shams Dubai Solar Rollers’ name is inspired by DEWA’s Shams Dubai initiative. The initiative connects solar photovoltaic systems on rooftops to DEWA’s grid. Shams Dubai is one of three smart initiatives DEWA launched in 2014 in support of the Smart Dubai initiative, which aims to make Dubai the smartest and happiest city in the world. The other two initiatives are Smart applications through Smart Meters and Grids, and the Green Charger initiative, to build the infrastructure and electric-vehicle chargers to encourage people to use sustainable transportation and reduce carbon emissions in the transport sector, which is the second highest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions in Dubai,” added Al Tayer.

“We appreciate your efforts during the different stages of the competition. I congratulate you on the spirit and dedication you have shown and assure you that DEWA will continue to support creative and innovative young people to implement ambitious national strategies and plans to achieve the objectives of the UAE Centennial 2071, which is a long-term government plan to prepare the UAE and young Emiratis for the future,” said Al Tayer addressing the participating students.